Blogs
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National training standard a long time coming
Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau and his provincial counterparts emerged from a Council of Ministers meeting in Montreal on Jan. 21, with a promise to implement a national training standard for entry-level truck drivers by 2020. It’s about time. It…
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The delusion of driver turnover
Question, how do we deal with the mass delusion that driver turnover is inevitable? When nothing could be further from the truth. Driver turnover is a manageable business challenge like any other. The only thing standing in our way of…
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Canada needs an energy information report
I don’t know about you, but I fill up my tank, or begin to squint with nervous suspicion, when the fuel gauge says it’s only a quarter full. The only indication we have of where the prices of gasoline and…
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Why we need women with drive
The numbers don’t lie. The representation of women in the trucking and logistics industry remains well below their representation in Canada’s workforce as a whole. Just 3% of truck drivers are women. 11% of the industry’s administrators are women. 18%…
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Back to the future
Am I seeing things or has the Canadian energy sector, specifically Alberta, been forced into an economic version of Back to the Future? Recently, Alberta premier Rachel Notley proudly “podiumed” that the province will provide $400 million in loan guarantees…
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Trucks right at home at Consumer Electronics Show
Billing itself as “the global stage for innovation,” it seems appropriate that the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has drawn the attention of several major truck makers. After all, innovation is rampant in the trucking industry and today’s highway tractors are…
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Doing more for workplace mental health
In any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience depression, anxiety, PTSD, or other mental health condition, and at some point all Canadians will be indirectly affected through a family member, friend, or colleague. My family…
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Do your homework
As a young owner/operator, what I wished for was a shiny truck that didn’t break down and some extra cash when I got some downtime. I accomplished what I wanted, but it was more out of good luck than having…
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Getting back on track
It’s almost that time of year again that everyone dreads, the time of post-holiday pressure to lose those extra pounds that made their way onto our hips on over the last couple months. If you are wanting to lose a…
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As we prepare to enjoy the holidays, cargo thieves are preparing to take advantage
As the holiday season approaches, beware the Grinches that are preparing to pilfer your loads. Holiday season is a peak time for cargo theft, according to a new report from Northbridge Insurance, which also sheds new light on the thriving illegal…
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Oil woes in Alberta
If I were to personify the state of this country’s interest (or lack thereof) of advancing energy production and global investor visage, I would settle on that of a one-handed circus juggler! Yes, the exercise normally incorporates hand-eye coordination using…
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Make coaching and mentoring work for you
Coaching and mentoring can have a significant positive impact on worker recruitment and retention. In fact, through our Top Fleet Employer program, we are seeing the benefits of coaching and mentoring programs first-hand, including higher rates of driver retention, better…
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Solving work-life balance conundrum for drivers necessary for recruitment
What’s more important when people are looking for a job or career; how much they get paid or having a work-life balance? I’m sure the answer would depend on the individual, but in the never-ending discussion on the driver shortage…
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The future of urban delivery
The way people move in cities is rapidly changing, and so too, will the way that freight moves. I was in Austin, Texas last month for the American Trucking Associations Management Conference & Exhibition and was taken aback by the…
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Supplements for truckers
Whether you eat a perfectly healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables or you rely solely on fast food, it’s important to consider whether you could benefit from any types of supplements. The majority of drivers struggle with getting enough…
